Hero Archetypes
Superhero Archetypes '''define the nature and source of a Superhero's power. There are 4 primary types: '''Natural, Biological, Technological '''and '''Mystical. Natural Superheroes A Natural Superhero is one whose power is an innate part of who they are, usually because the race or species they belong to is inherently powerful and beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person. A Natural Superhero's powers are ever-present, as they do not have to be activated, worn, or wielded. 'Ability Scores' For a Natural Superhero, allocate their Ability Scores on their character sheet as normal. Your character always benefits from these scores unless a specific effect is weakening you. Natural Superheroes generally have a more gradual progression towards super-heroic numbers for their Ability Scores, but often have better all-around scores and have the advantage of always having their superpowers active, meaning they are rarely caught off-guard. 'Health and Defences' A Natural Superhero's health is determined as normal, see the page on Vitality for more information. AC can be either natural armor (a thick hide or chitin) or from worn clothing/armor. Biological Superheroes A Biological Superhero is one whose power comes from a mutation to their physical and/or mental state. This mutation can be caused by any kind of natural, magical, or scientific phenomenon. A Biological Superhero is typically unremarkable in their ordinary ("human") state, but their transformation can drastically increase any number of their abilities. These transformations are usually limited in duration and/or number of times they can be used, per rest. While Transformed, you are considered to be a different character and will be given a separate character sheet with it's own Ability Scores, Vitality level and AC. Your Transformed character may even have personality quirks that your base character does not. Alternatively, some Biological Superheroes have partial transformations. In these cases instead of a separate character sheet, your transformation(s) instead boost specific Ability Scores, AC, Hit-Points or other attributes while active. 'Ability Scores' For your Ordinary form, you will allocate Ability Scores as per the rules for an Ordinary member of your starting race. If your backstory justifies it, your DM may allow for one of more Ability Scores to exceed the Ordinary for your race. All checks and saves while not transformed are made from these scores. While Transformed all checks and saves are made from the Ability Scores on your Transformed character sheet. For partial-transformations, your checks are made from your base character sheet, taking into account any Ability Score increases currently active. Health and Defences Your Ordinary and Transformed hit-points are tracked separately, as for two different characters. When you are attacked, the attack hits if it meets the AC of your current form, and the damage reduces the hit-points of only the form you are currently using. Damage and effects from Injuries do carry over, if using Injury rules. Both forms heal as normal per the rules, regardless of which form you are currently in. Injuries that require treatment must be done while in the injured form. For partial transformations, your health and AC can either be: * Unchanged by transforming, but your Ordinary state has a naturally higher health pool due to your mutations, or; * Boosted by transformations, remaining active for their duration. Discuss with your DM which of these two rules makes the most sense for your character. Technological Superheroes A Technological Superhero is somebody whose power comes from an advanced piece of technology, either crafted by themselves, or something they have found or were given. Often this technology is beyond your planet/race's tech level, either because it is a prototype or of alien origin. A Technological Superhero is typically unremarkable in a physical capacity, but often have above average Intelligence - as needed to create, wield, or pilot their technology. There are three main types of Technology that a Tech Superhero may wield: Weapon: '''An advanced piece of weapon's tech that grants a character greatly increased offensive or defensive capabilities. '''Exo-suit: '''A worn suit of armor or clothing that enhances your physical attributes and may also grant additional abilities. '''Augment: '''A piece of technology grafted to your body to increase your physical attributes and may also grant additional abilities. '''Ability Scores A Tech Superhero is considered Ordinary without their Tech, so allocate Ability Scores as per the rules for an Ordinary member of your starting race. The exception to this is your Intelligence, which may be Exceptional if appropriate. Depending on which type of Tech you wield, your Ability Scores may then be modified: Weapon: '''Weapons provide no bonuses to Ability Scores, but may provide powerful defensive or offensive capabilities to help circumvent this. A weapons-based Tech Superhero is generally a glass cannon, capable of outputting incredible displays of power but extremely vulnerable if their defences are bypassed. '''Exo-suit: '''An Exo-suit can enhance physical characteristics. If your Exo-suit has its own Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores, these become your Scores while the suit is worn. '''Augments: '''Augments can enhance both physical and mental characteristics depending on the type of augment, permanently increasing your Ability Scores unless the Augment is disabled or destroyed. If lost, an Augmented Ability Score will return to it's normal value, or may even suffer a penalty. '''Health and Defences Without your Tech, your character's health and AC are defined per the rule for Ordinary characters. With your Tech, you gain the following benefits: Weapon: '''Weapons tech does not increase physical attributes and so Hit Points will not increase, but the weapon may have defensive measures such as shield to improve AC or provide resistances to damage. '''Exo-suit: '''An Exo-suit increases your character's AC to that which is listed for the suit. In addition, some suits have their own hit-points that your character gains as temporary hit-points while the suit is worn. Any damage you take is dealt to these temporary hit-points until they are depleted, except Psychic, Poison and Necrotic damage or any attack capable of completely piercing the suit. Your suit's hit-points cannot be healed by conventional means. Once they reach 0, you are no longer protected and any additional damage is dealt to your character's hit-points. Damage to the suit may cause certain features to go offline, and most suits offer no benefits at 0 hit-points, as this means the suit is broken. A broken suit must be repaired with appropriate skill and materials, but the nature of the repairs will depend on the kind of damage taken and is left to your DM's discretion. A broken suit could just be completely out of energy and need recharging, or it could be so severely damaged as to need re-building. '''Augments: '''Augments increase your characters attributes in a variety of ways, and may increase your health by giving you additional hit-points or by improving your constitution modifier. They can also increase your AC or offer resistances to some damage. Mystical Superheroes Mystical Superheroes are an enigma; pulling their powers from all manner of unknown and strange forces in the universe. Whether they cast spells, control energy or manipulate the laws of physics, there is no known limit to what Mystic powers can do. Mystical Superheroes are the most free-form in terms of how they get their powers, or how those powers effect them. Some effects are ever-present, others might have to be activated and last for a duration, and some of them might be tied to objects. '''Attribute Scores Most Mystical powers are tied to the mind, and so Mystical Superheroes more commonly have enhanced cognitive abilities (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma), but some Mystical powers can also enhance the body as well. Mystical powers can enhance your character far beyond the Ordinary, and may be a temporary or permanent change. Ability Scores will be generated differently depending on the nature of your powers, so you should consult the information for your specific power to see how this works. Health and Defences As a mostly cognitive-based Archetype, generally Mystics will have lower health and fewer innate bonuses to defence than others. A lot of armor is restrictive to the channelling of Mystic powers, so you may be unable to wear any unless you find specialised clothing that allows it. A Mystic often have low hit-points, but this may improve if your Mystic powers enhance your character's endurance. Most Mystics, however, instead rely upon defensive tools provided to them by their powers, or try to stay out of harm's way as they are usually not defensively strong.